The Granite Borders Landcare Committee, NSW RFS and NPWS are presenting a Fire Awareness and Preparedness Workshop.

Speakers will include
Brian McDonough – NSW RFS
Michael Lieberman - NPWS

Be informed in the following topics:

RFS and landholders

• The role of RFS and how it operates. This includes that it is almost volunteer-run.
• RFS operation and set up - information on where brigades are located and the areas they cover; central dispatch procedure for fire alerts.
• What the RFS are allowed to do to control fires on private property – this includes access to all landholder types, which may include entering, cutting fences and padlocks, pushing trees, dozing fire breaks, etc.
• Historical changes in fire risk management.
• Legal obligations of land holders to contain a fire within a property.
• Individual landholder infrastructure; loan of firefighting equipment options.
• Asset protection steps.
• Permits for burns, burn communications with neighbours and RFS.
• Improving the understanding and value of RFS and their services among landholders, in order to reduce fire impacts and severity.

NPWS and landholders

• Fire management regime, operations and processes of NPWS.
• Hazard reductions, fire trail creation, mapping and burn plans.
• Cooperative burns in and around various landholder types – mechanics and processes.
• National Parks neighbour obligations.
• Legal and/or policy restrictions guiding NPWS fire management.
• How RFS and NPWS cooperate in fires in terms of lead, escalations and what that means on the ground.

Fire threats

• What starts fires - mowers, brush cutters, earthmoving equipment; weather (situational, e.g., heat, wind + fuel) and climate conditions (conditions over time, e.g., the change over time to increasing dominance of fire-prone lovegrass in the landscape, ongoing dry and lack of rain).
• Consequences of lack of knowledge.

Burning safely

• Making a fire map of property
• When if/to burn – e.g., Aug – March
• Equipment required
• Permits to burn – Intent to burn and Notification of burn
• How and when issued
• Letting neighbours know
• How to find out who your neighbours are (council will give you postal address info for your adjoining neighbours)

What affects fire speed/intensity

• Slope aspect
• Wind speed and direction
• Fuel type (long grass, slashed grass, shrubs etc)
• Humidity

Where to obtain information - getting warnings and notifications

• Using the ‘Hazards near me’ app
• Reporting a fire

Going further with RFS

• The process of joining the RFS and an outline of training involved.
• Cadet programme at TF Highschool in final term as elective subjects for years 9 and 10.
• RFS memberships

Light lunch to be served

RSVP, places limited

This workshop is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding arrangements.